Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-29


over the branch of the oak. The other men
took hold Of the rope and ranged themselves
in a line. The lesder au listed the nOusc and
placed IL around the highwaymau's neck.
The latter submitted withputa shudder. He
even .smlej, and ~ the loop was drawn
tight said
Thanks, I forgot to put on my neCktlo
this momiu'.n
aye don't know how a ueCktie improves
ye,n the leader replied,
"Oh, Tn dandy in iull dress" said the
prisoner. "Bur say, pArd, can't We make
some sort ct a trade un that horse biTness
I'll tell We what In do IN giVs YOU my
mare and $500 Tor Vour horse, and take the
chances Of finding the man thai borrowed
your animal"
"Thsrs a pretty good oner, stranger, hut
We see the mares sort of tsvorite with Ihe
women folks,aud they Il break their hearts ~
heythought 10, sold her No, stranger l can't
sell I'd never hear the last ut IL an ps'ac"
In the famiiy's wuth more to me THAI $50
I'm sorry, hut reckon the trades OF
How's that sort ot a Knot suit ye' 'iSiut A.
tasty as Ia like. hut IN angers are ail
thumbs today, and YOU must excuse me 81
II don't took as pretty as 4 red sash on
gresser's stomach. There, | reckon thSiu
do"
.Auch obliged, pard." The voice Of the
highwavman was somewhat ChCked, uut it
was not with his emotion. Are you going
Well, good luck to You"
TIE men on the rope stepped back two
ber's neck and bough over which It had been
dung.
ANY woTd ye'd like to send your bereaved
| relative 2' asked the leader, ss he moved
away.
"NothIng particular" replied the highway
man. Nothing except an answer Ia Ike
written to a letter I've got Ia my pocket
81 reckon we Ken tend 10 that little BIZ.
ness, " said the leader.
81 don't Hka tn trouble you, gentlemen,
hut !it would he great accommodation To
ma"
"No trouble, stranger Where's the let,
ter
ain my cost pocket"
The leader, alter considerable mmnltnE,
found the letter.
"Is this the dockymeute' he inquired,
That's the paper, aud II II wouldn't he
| too much trouble, perhaps you'll read Il aloud
| TO the boys. They might suggest some
| points for the answer. Besides, ! q like 10
refresh my own memory n bit
| The leader glanced At the address, "John
| r. Richmond, Columbia IuO.umne
| county,
| That's me-" said the robbar.
The leader drew the envelope and read
aloud:
SWEET HOME, October.2l l$@
| NJ Darling Boz: une years are drag
ging wearily by, and / am growing Old in
my loneliness. The grave seems colder and
more cherries a. ! TOtLer toward it. berett
| OF the loving presence OF my darling child.
| old agel On hJOhu, I vsarn for you. | long
10 clasp you 10 my arms once more; 10 lay
| my cheek against yours to kiss the lips /
kissed so foudy a. you sleDt in your cradle
| before You kueW mothers love. 1t hs'
been fifteen years since you left me tfieeu
years Of waiting aud watching and praying
Tor your return. DO you realize how my
heart goes out to yuu-s mothers heart
| DO you realize the tear that Oppresses her a:
she thinks of the dangers thac-surround you
in that far away land, among desperate men
whose hand may not be restrained aGsius
you bv the love mother bears for wsywarG
child Have you forgotten me, John
almost fear that you have, for | have hearC
nothing from you tor months | sm uncer
| tain that This Will reach you John, you
mother, who loves you better than life L
waiting for you, aud her eyes are dim will
| tears of disappointment My heart aches a
| think that perhaps am forgotten by M
beloved son-tbe only tie that binds me I,
earth Shall ever see my boy again Shsl
| clasp him to my bosom once more? on,
could die happy Ith his arms about me, m,
head plllowed upon his breast, A. his heal
was once plliowod upon mine. | canno
realized that my darling, my baby, - man
for in my hearts memory be is still a child
an innocent laughing, mOther.l loving boy
Come home, John. IL will not be for long
aud when this feeble body lies cold In tn
| grave you may wander out into the worlt
again. Remember, John, a mothers love 1
more precious THAI sIl besides, aud unit
|
| oh, 80 patiently, and watch through IN
tears for the coming OF hlm who s dearest +
me on earth. MOTHER,
The bright sunlight flooded a laudscap
barren ana cheerIess. The blue Of the SIX
above was simply relief such a. nature, Il
her regard for the fitness of things ha,
) spread over the Unattractivs prospect TO
} | pleasant contrast, As tEs leaders vote
ceased there wa. q silence IN that tsrFibl
group Tor a moment even the restless horse
were still. Tie stern Judges stood lk
, statues gra8Piug the lariaL But the rop
had slaCkened as that mothers pathetic 81
peal was read. And Standing there on N
| brink OF his grave, John Richmond faced hi
eNecutouers rs calmly, ~ resigned as II tn
soul OF a martyr animated him instead Of a sin
stained, recE ess desperate heart that Nigh
shrink from no vIlliany.
"He's game" The man who spoke ha
released his hold on the lariat The leade
replaced the letter in Rchmond's pOCkel
Looking around his tOIIo Eer-, no observe
that only two 0G them retained their hol
! upon the rope, and even these men wer
! doubtful aud nesitatIng. The leader uudsl
stood the,tompsr OF his com panions.
stranger" ne SAID, SlFidug close to n
plnioned man, "Shar we're yo guln wh5
we met you T'
81 WAS going home "
cts long way home, stranger"
" know il"
"And the trails crook cd. ."
} al won't lose, il my life Il spared " tn
NubbiuA tliO AiShN bNllldnt ana tnrL
ing to his companions, remark cd, in yulc
softer than usual
"BOys some OF us has mothers back In tn
states aud may be we're tn!uKin' o. thos
mothers 81 this Identical minute, It's IN,
| opinion that those mothers havo saved
mans life today" Then to the highway
man "Suanger, ips nigh suudown, an
we've got long road sfOTs ~. Good day
| They shook hands, aud the leader mOunIe,
his horse. As the men rode out from he
meath the shadow Of the oak the hixhwaymsI
| followed.
Chow bout the mare, plrI2 stitch L
my bargain"
Never mind tho mare, stranger; there'l
has but ono mother"
| The highwayman watched the hOrsemeI
as they rode down the hdlside--watCheL
them, silent and motOnless, until they dis
appeared from his view. Then his hauC
slowly rose to his neck, and IIngered there
moment with sOit-Ciutching movement O
the fingers, aud the smile thai seemed habit
ual with hlm swept once more across nil
face
"I'll thank that man, II / ever meet him, ,
he muttered. " "l'll thank hin from the Dot
tom OF my heart, and III ask him to thanh
that good, kind old mother OF his Tor ne. f
was lucky Tor me that his name Was tht
same as mine, or I'd never a-saved It. Il
must have been special Providence, oi
something OF the sort, and I'm thankful tC
| all parties concerned but 1t was a close cali
all the same"-E. r. CiOuGh in MGripOsd
| GdyeiiS.
An improyident Girl